Under the Surface by Jan Markos

The most significant difference between a grandmaster and a club player is not simply that the grandmaster calculates more accurately, but rather that he sees more deeply. This book invites you beneath the surface, where you can learn to navigate the depths of chess. Jan Markos shows how a strong player perceives chess, which features of a position he focuses on, and how he thinks at the board.

The author’s philosophy is that understanding chess brings pure happiness, and he would like to share this happiness with you.

Jan Markos is a grandmaster and former European Under-16 Champion. He has won the Slovakian Championship twice and played for Slovakia at six Olympiads. He lives in Bratislava with his wife and two children.

“In his new book, GM Jan Markos focuses on important, yet often neglected, aspects of chess. He deals with this interesting and difficult topic excellently, making fine use of his chess and teaching abilities. The book is highly readable and belongs among the best chess books I have read in recent years. Although the book is intended to be read by amateurs, even grandmasters will find it interesting and useful. If you want to learn more about chess and don’t mind thinking independently, this is the book for you.” GM David Navara

ISBN: 978-1-78483-048-9 - Provisional Release Spring 2018

Under the Surface by Jan Markos

The most significant difference between a grandmaster and a club player is not simply that the grandmaster calculates more accurately, but rather that he sees more deeply. This book invites you beneath the surface, where you can learn to navigate the depths of chess. Jan Markos shows how a strong player perceives chess, which features of a position he focuses on, and how he thinks at the board.

The author’s philosophy is that understanding chess brings pure happiness, and he would like to share this happiness with you.

Jan Markos is a grandmaster and former European Under-16 Champion. He has won the Slovakian Championship twice and played for Slovakia at six Olympiads. He lives in Bratislava with his wife and two children.

“In his new book, GM Jan Markos focuses on important, yet often neglected, aspects of chess. He deals with this interesting and difficult topic excellently, making fine use of his chess and teaching abilities. The book is highly readable and belongs among the best chess books I have read in recent years. Although the book is intended to be read by amateurs, even grandmasters will find it interesting and useful. If you want to learn more about chess and don’t mind thinking independently, this is the book for you.” GM David Navara